Tree Strelitzia
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Tree Strelitzia ( Strelitzia nicolai ) |
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| Strelitzia nicolai | ||||||||||||
| Rule & grain. |
The Tree Strelitzia ( Strelitzia nicolai ) is a species of Strelitzia ( Strelitzia ) in the Strelitziaceae family . This species, native to southern Africa , is used as an ornamental plant in tropical parks and gardens .
description
Appearance and leaves
Strelitzia nicolai grows in the shape of a tree as an evergreen, perennial , herbaceous plant that can reach heights of up to 12 meters. With its branched rhizomes it forms dense, clump-like stands. The somewhat woody trunk is light to dark gray and is marked by the leaf scars. The leaves, which are distributed in two rows on the trunk and only form a kind of fan in the upper area on old plants, are clearly divided into long petioles and leaf blades. Their simple, smooth-edged, glossy gray-green leaf blades have a length of up to 2 meters and a width of up to 60 centimeters. The leaf blades tear in the wind. Overall, they have a vegetative effect like banana plants.
Inflorescences and flowers
Strelitzia nicolai flowers all year round, with a main flowering period in spring and summer. There is an axillary, upright inflorescence stem, which together with the actual inflorescence has a length of about 0.5 meters. A conspicuous, large, dark bract (the so-called spathe) stands horizontally or points slightly upwards. There are several partial inflorescences on top of each other (different from Strelitzia alba and Strelitzia caudata with simple inflorescences).
The hermaphrodite flowers are zygomorphic and threefold. The three bracts are very different in shape and color in the two circles. Of the three white bracts of the outer circle (often called sepals = sepals) the middle one is smaller than the lateral ones. Of the inner three mostly blue (very rarely white, with Strelitzia alba they are always white) bracts (often called petals = petals) the upper one covers the entrance to the “nectar chamber”; the two large lateral ones are fused like an arrow and surround the stylus and the five fertile stamens . The abundant nectar produced attracts nectar birds (Nectariniidae) such as Hedydipna collaris and Cyanomitra olivacea . Pollination is done by birds.
Fruits and seeds
Woody, triple capsule fruits are formed. The black seeds have an orange, woolly, oily aril . The seeds ripen mainly between March and July. The fruits / seeds are eaten by birds, this has been proven for Phoeniculus purpureus , Cossypha natalensis , Cercotrichas signata , Acridotheres tristis . Some species of monkeys are fed with flowers and the aril.
Chromosome number
The number of chromosomes is 2n = 22.
Occurrence
Strelitzia nicolai occurs in South Africa from south East London in the Eastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal on to Mozambique and Zimbabwe . It thrives mainly in the dune vegetation and in coastal evergreen forests on the east coast of South Africa. For example, it is often found in the coastal vegetation north of East London.
Systematics
Strelitzia Nicolai was 1858 Eduard August von Regel and Friedrich August Körnicke in garden flora , 7, p 265, Table 235 firstdescribed . The specific epithet nicolai honors Tsar Nicholas I. A specimen of this species bloomed in the stately gardens in St. Petersburg in 1858 and it was recognized that it was a new species.
In 1970 Moore & Hyypio discussed the nomenclature within the genus Strelitzia . A synonym for Strelitzia nicolai Rule & Korn. is: Strelitzia quensonii Lem.
use
The tree strelitzia is used as an ornamental plant in tropical parks and gardens . The tree strelitzia is quite drought tolerant and the salty coastal winds do not affect this species, but it does not tolerate severe frost.
Ropes are made from the dried leaf stalks in order to build fish traps and huts. The unripe seeds are edible and tasty. You can make flour from the seeds. You can deep-fry the aril and then grill it, but it shouldn't taste good.
swell
- John Winter: Strelitzia nicolai at plantzafrica.com of the Kirstenbosh Botanical Garden. (Section Description, Distribution and Use)
- Hamish Robertson: Strelitzia nicolai at biodiversityexplorer - Iziko - Museums of Cape Town. (Section Description, Distribution and Use)
- Harold E. Moore, Jr. & Peter A. Hyypio: Some Comments on Strelitzia (Strelitziaceae) , in Baileya , 17, 1970, pp. 65-75.
- Braam Van Wyk & Piet Van Wyk Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa (Field Guides) , Struik Publishers, 1997. ISBN 978-1868259229 ( Strelitzia nicolai on p. 56)
- Gordon Cheers (Ed.): Botanica , Random House Australia, 2003. German edition: Tandem Verlag GmbH, 2003, ISBN 3-8331-1600-5 . ( Strelitzia nicolai on p. 862)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Strelitzia nicolai at Tropicos.org. In: IPCN Chromosome Reports . Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis
- ^ TH Arnold & BC De Wet (editors): Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. , in Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa , No. 62, 1993.
- ↑ G. Germishuizen & NL Meyer (editor): Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist , In: Strelitzia , 14, 2003.
